Fleet and Fortila: A Mass Effect Cinderella Story
by GIRLIKESTACOS
Summary: A re-imagining of the Cinderella story in Mass Effect, originally written for a school assignment. Read and tell me what you think.


Kira didn't understand what was going on. Her Aunt Meetha was rushing though the ship with her, not even stopping to take a breath. Kira had asked her aunt several times what was going on, but she was in too much of a hurry to answer. She eventually arrived in a place with a lot of beds and weird machines. Her Aunt Meetha brought her into one of the rooms, where she saw her mother in a bed on the other side of a glass screen. Men wearing bright white suits on the other side of the screen were using weird looking tools on her mother as she lay there, motionless.

"We need more morphine over here!" One of the men shouted. Kira saw he was covered in purple fluid.

"Auntie, what's wrong with mommy?" Kira asked, shaking her hand. "What are those men doing to her?"

"Your mother was in an accident, child." Auntie told her a soft, chilled tone. "Those men are trying to fix her."

"Is...that Kira?" Her mother asked, sounding weak. "Please...let me...see her."

"But if we don't hurry..." One of the men started to say.

"You know there's...nothing you can do...for me now." Her mother interrupted, grabbing the man's arm. "Please...just let me speak to...my little girl."

The man was quiet for a second, until he waved Kira and her aunt into the room. They passed through a decontamination chamber before we entered the bright room, walking over to where her mother lay.

"Thank you, Meetha." Kira's mother thanked as aunt Meetha let go of Kira's hand, allowing her to walk over to her mother.

"I'm sorry, Kira." Her mother apoligized, holding and squeezing her hand. "I'm not going to make it home tonight."

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Kira asked, getting upset. "Auntie Meetha said those men were going to fix you."

"Kira, sometimes there are...things so broken that they can't be fixed." Her mother explained, looking intensely at her. "Mommy is too broken to fix."

"But..." Kira started to say, but was interrupted as tears started forming in her eyes. "...I don't want you to break..."

"There's nothing...to do now." Kira's mother said, sounding defeated. "But, I want you...to promise me something."

"...what?" Kira sobbed as tears pelted the inside of her faceplate.

"I want you to pro...promise me that you will...become a str...strong woman. Grow up to be a strong woman, with a go...good husband. Do it for me." Her mother asked of her as she closed her eyes, and never opened them again.

...

16 Years Later

Kira Nirva nar Havanno was getting ready, putting her supplies into her satchel and grabbing extra power cells for her Omni-tool. Suddenly, her auntie walked in.

"Are you almost ready?" She asked, walking over and examining me. "The Admiralty Board is ready to see you."

"Yep, I'll be there in a second." I replied, putting on my utility belt.

Things were quiet for a few seconds, when auntie spoke up again.

"Your mother would be so proud to see you today." She said, making me pause.

"I miss her." I admitted, pausing and leaning against the table.

"I do too." Auntie agreed, walking over and putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Go make her proud."

…

6 Months Later

"Kira, hurry up with those drinks, and get out of here!" Giras Grossa, my oh-so "benevolent" boss shouted, as I fumbled with the serving tray.

"Yes ma'am." I replied in my now common monotone, loading the drinks onto the tray.

Six months after I left the Migrant Fleet to find something of value to bring home, I tried to play the stock market since I was good with numbers, here on the corrupt "utopia" planet of Illium. I thought I found a way to make unlimited money. I lost everything. Then, I got a credit line and lost that, then I took out an illegal loan, get the picture.

I was forced to sign myself into slavery, or "indentured service", as the care-free Asari who run the planet like to call it. Giras Grossa, as part of our agreement, payed off my debts in exchange for five years in indentured servitude. What I didn't realize when I signed the document however, was that Giras was a cruel woman who worked her employees into exhaustion, often forcing her employees to work double shifts many times a week. Tonight was no exception, where a large crowd of Turian officials had bought out the entire restaurant to celebrate their victory at The Battle of Sigmas II, but people all around were still invited.

The Supreme High General Septimus, and his son, Korilus Septimus, were the two big names in this party. It was even rumored that Korilus Septimus was going to choose a woman at the party to marry. Because Giras considered me to be "unsightly" due to me being a Quarian, she was forcing me to stay in the back, loading drinks instead of actually serving them. To make sure there was no way the officials would see me, she was even sending me back to my quarters after this last round.

After I loaded the last tray, I grabbed a nutrient tube and headed back. On my way there however, I bumped into my friend, Fixer.

Fixer was a retired member of the Salarian Special Tasks Group, or STG. We met each other shortly after I arrived on Illium, and we've been friends since. Because he's a Salarian, he's a fast-talking, smart, energetic person, but is also reaching the end of his 40 year lifespan, making him more contempt with a slower, less dangerous lifestyle. He usually spends most of his days creating small little devices that he comes up with in his free time.

"Hi Kira!" He greeted in his rushed accent. "Why the long face?"

"You can't even see my face." I replied blankly. "How can you tell I'm upset?"

"We were trained to read body language in the STG." He replied quickly, hefting a pair of odd-looking boots and some sort of mesh. "But that's besides the point. What's wrong?"

"That absolutely horrible woman Giras wouldn't let me go to that big party the Turians are hosting." I told him, stopping to looking at him and folding my arms. "I didn't even get a chance to see Korilus."

Fixer was quiet for a few seconds, until his face lit up with a big smile.

"I have an idea!" He proclaimed, holding up a finger. "This will work out for you and me!"

"What, you have another invention you want me to test?" I questioned in a slightly mocking tone. "Didn't that last one go back enough with all the fire burning up your workshop?"

"No, this one has all the kinks worked out." He reassured, placing his hand on one of the boots. "This is a special mesh I developed for you. It projects a semi-solid image over you, making it look like whatever you want!"

"Really?" I asked, now interested. "How did you pull this off?"

"It's a bit complicated, but let's just say I called in a few favors with my buddies in the STG." He explained, smiling. "This is the secret project I've been working on, and this party presents the perfect opportunity to test it out."

"Alright, I'm interested." I agreed, nodding my head. "What do I need to do?"

"Just take all this to your apartment and put it on, and select one of the options I installed." He said, handing the suit and boots to me. "The boots contain the power supply. The batteries haven't been upgraded yet, so you'll have to leave the party before they die."

"Around what time?" I asked, looking back at him.

"About midnight." He answered, smiling and walking off. "Have fun Kira, and make sure to tell me how well it worked!"

I stood there for a second in disbelief for a few seconds. I looked down at the gear Fixer had given me, and I smiled. I quickly hurried back to my apartment, locking the door and putting on the mesh. It fit like a glove, sliding on without much trouble. The boots automatically adjusted to my feet, fitting to my three toes quite snugly.

I then opened up the suit options with my Omni-tool, cycling through until I found one I liked. It was a simple black dress that had one strap going over my left shoulder, and a gold/diamond decorative belt that went along my waist. The simplicity was perfect. I selected it as my entire body lit up to my helmeted neck. When it was finished, I was wearing the dress.

I smiled more than I had ever since I arrived on Illium.

I literally ran to the party after wards, grabbing what credits I had saved up and nearly tripping on the way out the door. The guards who were scanning guest at the entrance paused to look at me, not even bothering to scan me as I walked confidently inside.

The party was definitely in full swing now. Everyone was drinking, laughing, talking among one another, they party was full of energy. I scanned the main floor, seeing that Korilus and his father were outside the VIP section, drinking at the main bar. I also spotted Giras, who was wearing a dress that left little to the imagination. She was trying extremely hard to gain Korilus's attention, but was failing quite badly.

I walked down to where Korilus was, taking a seat next to him on the bar.

"Hello." I greeted, looking at him. He was handsome, even more that on the vids, and was quite cute. He paused for a few seconds upon seeing me, eye opening wide in surprise. "Could I buy you a drink?"

"Um...sure." He answered, shaking his head.

I hailed the bartender, who brought us two Batarian Ales. We both popped off the caps, taking sips. I glanced back at Giras, who was shooting the death glare at me while pouting. This made me grin out of revenge. Eventually, the D.J. announced for everyone except for couples to clear the dance floor as slower music started playing.

"So... would you like to dance?" He offered, holding out his hand, which surprised me.

"Sure." I accepted, taking his hand as both of us stood up and walked out onto the dance floor. Everyone started clapping as we both begun dancing. My eyes were locked with his for what felt like forever.

Then, my Omni-tool started beeping.

I quickly broke away, seeing it was one minute till midnight. I ran through the crowds with Korilus trying in vain to keep up. I ran out the front doors losing one of the boots as I tripped. I quickly got back up, running out of sight.

The next day, the High General was demanding that all Quarians on the planet were to try to put the boot on. A few hours after the announcement, the High General and his son arrived, and I was called out of my apartment to try the boot on at the protest of Giras.

As I sat down to try on the boot, I was looking into Korilus's piercing eyes once more. He put the boot on and I fit like a glove.

"So you're the one." He said with a smile.

Giras suddenly burst out, pointing a gun at me, shouting "YOU LITTLE-"

She was cut off as a shot rang out, knocking Giras to the ground. I looked back at Korilus, seeing he was holding a smoking pistol. He looked back at me, as we both hugged each other.

Two days later, we both got married on Palaven, the Turian home world, with my auntie and Korilus's father watching, smiling. I saw Fixer out of the corner of my eye, who finked at me with a smile.

I then remembered what my mother made me promise before she died, and I shed a single tear.

...

A/N: The ending was a little rushed, but I hope you still liked it. This is GIR, signing out.


End file.
